<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>At the Other End of the Blade by soraxtsuna123</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28806447">At the Other End of the Blade</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/soraxtsuna123/pseuds/soraxtsuna123'>soraxtsuna123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Outsiders Requests [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Injury, Family, Happy Ending, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Threats</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:13:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28806447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/soraxtsuna123/pseuds/soraxtsuna123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ponyboy gets jumped by socs and gets injured, but not as much as Soda.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ponyboy Curtis &amp; Sodapop Curtis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Outsiders Requests [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1821424</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>At the Other End of the Blade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Iceearth12">Iceearth12</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Request by Iceearth12.</p><p>I will not be taking requests on this platform.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The unspoken juvenile and socioeconomic system was stupid. Socs jump greasers; greasers jump socs. That’s just how it was. So, knowing that, it shouldn’t have been a surprise when Ponyboy, a greaser, was jumped by a group of socs. It was the late afternoon, and he was on his way back home from the theater. Ponyboy had watched the movie alone like he usually did. It was some cheesy flick that felt like he had seen a billion other times, but he still had a great time watching it, nevertheless. On his way home, he replayed parts of the movie in his head, bouncing a rubber ball that he received from one of those toy vending machines. He hummed to himself, not noticing a newish, blue Chevy Chevelle trailing him.</p><p>He only noticed it when the rumble of the engine never went away a few blocks into the walk. It was like a pesky fly that wouldn’t fly away. He looked over his shoulder and almost wished that he hadn’t. Maybe they would have ended up ignoring him after getting bored. But, once he made eye contact with the driver, the car sped up.</p><p>Ponyboy was never jumped before. He had seen what happened after Johnny had been and the image of his bloody, beaten body made his stomach sick. Usually, Ponyboy got lucky with just being called names or have the occasional drink thrown at him. Although they never made him feel too hot, they were far better than an actual jumping. However, it seemed like he wasn’t lucky this time around.</p><p>The car swerved in front of him before he had the chance to run away. The socs jumped out and Ponyboy gulped as he counted how many were crammed inside: six. There was something familiar about all of them—he had seen their faces before. That meant they were probably from his school, which wasn’t surprising. There were too many people in the school who hated him because he was a greaser taking advanced classes (or just because he was a greaser in general). They thought that it wasn’t right since most greasers were hoods. But Ponyboy had a feeling that he had seen them more often than a pass-by in the school corridors. None of them were in any of his classes. That left the track team. There were too many people on the team to easily pinpoint who was on it. Anyway, they were in front of him, glaring holes into him but smiling playfully at the same time.</p><p>“I guess you’re not going to run away this time,” one of them sneered. They were definitely from track then.</p><p>“What’s this about?” Ponyboy asked, body tensing up so much that it felt like he was going to explode. He glanced over the soc’s shoulders. He was only about a block away from his house. If he could slip through them, he could make it and get help. At least one person from the gang should be there.</p><p>“Don’t play dumb, you dirty greaser,” another soc spat. He stepped forward and Ponyboy stepped backward a few steps in response. He continued to back away, but he only ended up backing into one of the soc’s chest. He snapped around, stumbling back towards the soc that was approaching him out of instinct. When had they circled him?</p><p>“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>“The coach favors you. Do you know that? He always praises you: a greaser. How could he do that? We work so much harder than you and at least we’re going somewhere.”</p><p>“He probably only acts like he favors him because he has to,” another soc justified. So, that was what this was all about. It was more about jealousy than anything else.</p><p>“It’s not my fault that you’re slower than me. Maybe you should start actually trying instead of sitting in your fancy cars,” Ponyboy shot back, instantly regretting what he said right after it was already spoken. He shut his mouth tightly, pressing his lips together into a thin line. He really had to learn how to not run his mouth all the time.</p><p>The soc scoffed, a vein popping on his forehead. “Maybe we should teach you a lesson on how not to talk to us, greaser.”</p><p>“I don’t need it,” was all Ponyboy could say before the socs lunged at him. They all grabbed him, holding him with iron grips that he was sure were going to leave bruises on him later, not that it really mattered. He knew he was going to be covered in bruises after this was over. Two of them grabbed his arms, tethering him to his spot as the others took turns pummeling his gut. Ponyboy gasped out as the air left his lungs. He tried to catch his breath, but before he could do that another punch would make contact with his stomach and he would lose it all over again.</p><p>“He—” Ponyboy struggled to call out but was cut off with another punch.</p><p>“Throw him on the ground,” one of the socs ordered.</p><p>The next thing that Ponyboy knew, he was on the ground. Small stones dug into his skin like needles. He tried to concentrate on them instead of the blows the Socs were landing, but it was too difficult. They started to kick him, and he screamed out in pain. Ponyboy curled up in a ball, grunting with every kick that was delivered. It hurt. It hurt so much and he couldn’t do anything about it.</p><p>“Help!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “Soda! Darry!”</p><p>“Shut him up!” a soc hissed.</p><p>“Got it,” another grumbled before kicking Ponyboy straight in the face. For a second, his vision darkened as pain washed over his nose. Blood spewed out of it, spilling all over his face and mixing with his tears. There was an unbearable ringing in his ears that caused the soc’s taunts to be drowned out. But, when he was able to comprehend what they were saying, he felt his blood run cold.</p><p>“How about I cut your legs real good? Then you wouldn’t be able to use them anymore. Maybe even drive over them and leave you to be crippled,” a soc threatened, flicking out a switchblade. Through the red filter that covered his eyes from his blood dripping in them, he could see the blade gleam in the sunlight. It brought him newfound energy that had been depleted before. He squirmed on the ground and tried to pick himself up so he could escape. He was going to be cut and crippled. No, he couldn’t let that happen. He didn’t want that!</p><p>Move, body! Move!</p><p>He got on his arms, body creaking as he tried to crawl away. Every inch of him hurt, but he had to keep going. They were going to kill him.</p><p>“Help me!” Ponyboy screamed, dragging himself even if it looked pathetic. His dignity was the least of his worry.</p><p>A kick to his arms caused him to collapse, chin hitting the ground and teeth slamming together. Then the most pain he had ever felt started. The blade slowly and agonizingly pushed into his thigh. It ripped open his skin instead of cut, warm blood gushing out. He screamed, but that fell deaf on his ears. They twisted the blade inside of him before dragging it out. The soc stabbed him again and, instead of pulling it out, he froze. At first, Ponyboy didn’t know what for, but then he saw the gang charging at them.</p><p>“Let him go!” Soda shrieked in wild rage when he saw his younger brother covered in his own blood and barely conscious. The socs that weren’t holding the switchblade got up and they clashed. It was a mini rumble as fists clashes with skin. The gang fought against the socs, trying their best to get their way to Ponyboy. While the other Socs were occupied with the gang, Soda slipped past them and rushed to Pony. “Ponyboy!”</p><p>“Stay back!” the soc with the blade warned. He pulled it out of Ponyboy’s leg, letting the blood gush out. He flipped it so that it was pressing against his throat instead. Pony’s blood dribbled down his own neck. “If you come closer, I’m going to cut open his neck.”</p><p>Soda was frozen in his spot, holding up his hands to show that he was unarmed and had no intention of attacking. “Just let him go.”</p><p>“Why would I do that?”</p><p>“Because you don’t want to hurt him.”</p><p>The soc rolled his eyes. “No, I’m pretty sure that I do.”</p><p>“Just grab Ponyboy, man,” Dally said, punching one of the Socs in the jaw.</p><p>Soda nodded, stepping closer. The blade pressed deeper in Ponyboy’s neck, drawing blood. Ponyboy winced as he struggled in the soc’s hold, which only pressed the blade in deeper.</p><p>“I’m warning you,” the soc growled. “Don’t step any closer or… Get away!”</p><p>In the middle of the sentence, Soda jumped at the Soc, but that was where everything went wrong. As soon as he tried to grab Ponyboy, a warm feeling spread across his stomach. Everything went silent as eyes turned to stare at him in horror, but he hardly registered them. What was going on? Why did he feel so weird; so dizzy? It took several long moments before Soda decided to look down, seeing the switchblade lodged in his stomach. He was stabbed and he didn’t know how to react to that.</p><p>“Holy shit,” he heard Steve say but it sounded far away. Too far.</p><p>“Oh, you went too far!” a soc screamed. “Shit, what do we do?”</p><p>“What do you think? Let’s get the fuck out of here!” another soc cried out. In an instant, the socs fled the scene, leaving only the gang there. Soda crumpled to the ground, unable to stay up any longer. The world was spinning around him, blurring everyone’s faces so that they were hardly distinguishable.</p><p>“There’s so much blood,” Ponyboy said in horror. His hands were trembling as he pulled his way to the second oldest brother of the family.</p><p>“We need to take the blade out,” Two-Bit interjected, breath caught in his throat.</p><p>“No, pulling the blade out will cause him to bleed out faster,” Johnny said.</p><p>“He needs a hospital <em>right now</em>. I’ll get the truck. Make sure he stays conscious,” Darry rushed out, quickly acting on his words. Good for Darry for being a quick thinker. Soda would have smiled if he could feel his body.</p><p>Although Darry said he had to stay awake, it was too hard and sleep was tempting. Weights held onto his eyelids, pulling them down. Soda didn’t when he closed his eyes, but he did at one point. The last thing he remembered was hearing the gang tell him to keep his eyes open.</p><hr/>
<hr/><p>As soon as Darry got the truck over, they carefully got Soda inside. They quickly made it to the hospital—most of them hopping in the bed of the truck. It was silent the entire way there because none of them knew what to say or do. Even Two-Bit, who seemed to never know when to shut up, wasn’t speaking.</p><p>Johnny was the first to speak up. He scooted over next to Ponyboy who was whiter than a sheet of paper under all the blood that covered him. He slipped off his flannel, spitting in it.</p><p>“Let’s get the blood off of you,” Johnny gently suggested over the sound of Darry’s honking. Ponyboy numbly nodded, letting Johnny wipe the blood off. The spit wasn’t ideal, but, at that moment, all Ponyboy could think about was Soda.</p><p>It was his fault. If he had been more careful, he wouldn’t have been jumped in the first place. Soda wouldn’t have been stabbed as well. He might as well have been the person who stabbed him.</p><p>Christ, why couldn’t he be more like the other members of the gang? They were tuff and smart, while he was only book smart. He couldn’t protect Soda. All he could do was get everyone in more trouble.</p><p>“How’s your leg?” Johnny asked. Ponyboy looked down. His leg was still bleeding quite a bit, but it didn’t hurt anymore. It just felt numb. Ponyboy had almost forgotten he was stabbed himself.</p><p>“It’s fine,” Ponyboy answered. “It’s Soda we should worry about.”</p><p>Steve, who was listening, slammed his fist against the bed of the truck, causing everyone to jump.</p><p>“We wouldn’t have to worry about him if you never got yourself in that situation,” Steve snarled. Ponyboy curled into himself, trying to make him seem smaller. Of course, that didn’t protect him from the onslaught that was Steve.</p><p>“He didn’t have any control over the situation,” Two-Bit defended. “Ponyboy didn’t choose to be jumped.”</p><p>“Two-Bit’s right, man,” Dally confirmed. “There was no telling what would have happened.”</p><p>“He could have done something!” Steve snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at the youngest Curtis. “Soda’s probably going to die now because of him! It’s his fault!”</p><p>“Steve!” Johnny warned, grip tightening around the flannel. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew that Steve and Ponyboy didn’t get along, but it was never this bad. He wasn’t usually the type to speak up all the time, but, he was quick to defend his best friend. “Don’t say that! He didn’t do anything.”</p><p>“No, Steve’s right,” Ponyboy quietly said, lowering Johnny’s hand that had the flannel. The truck finally stopped at the hospital, parking as close as they could get to the emergency room entrance. The numbing feeling was all over him now and he wasn’t sure it was just from the stab wound anymore. He got out of the truck’s bed as carefully as he could. “It’s all my fault.”</p><p>With that, he limped away from them. Two-Bit shoved Steve when they were getting out themselves. They didn’t argue about what had just happened. Soda was more important than that.</p><p>The gang got help from some of the workers, allowing them to wheel Soda away in a gurney. All that was left was for them to sit in the waiting room.</p><p>They were there for a few hours before Ponyboy and Darry walked inside the waiting room. Ponyboy’s wound was now closed up and he was leaning heavily on crutches. They sat down and, again, they all waited. Johnny and Two-Bit tried to talk to Ponyboy, but he refused to even look at any one of them.</p><p>Many hours after that, they finally got news of Soda’s condition.</p><p>“He’s going to be alright,” the doctor announced, and everyone sighed in relief. “Sodapop is currently resting. During the procedure, we had to give him more blood, but it turned out just alright in the end.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Darry said, shoulders finally relaxing. “Can we go in and see him?”</p><p>The doctor nodded. “No more than two family members.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>They ignored this rule.</p><p>The gang were all sick of waiting, but they did it for Soda. It was the least they could do. They sat around the bed, waiting for their pale friend to wake up. It felt like hours until he finally did. His eyes fluttered open and the gang jumped from their seats.</p><p>“He’s up,” Darry pointed out the obvious. He leaned over Soda, watching his brother’s eyes flicker around the room to put together where he was. “How are you feeling?”</p><p>Instead of answering the question, Soda asked, “What happened?”</p><p>“You were stabbed and lost a lot of blood.”</p><p>“Stabbed?” The events flashed through Soda’s head and his eyes widened. He shot up but only cried out in pain as he stretched his stitches. His back slammed back down on the bed.</p><p>“You shouldn’t move too much right now,” Steve said but Soda wasn’t worrying about himself.</p><p>“Pony,” Soda started, turning his head to his brother. He took note of his bandaged leg and the crutches that were propped against the wall next to him. Man, did he look horrible… He was covered in small cuts and bruises already started to form on his skin. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“I’m fine, but you weren’t,” Ponyboy mumbled so quietly that everyone almost missed it. He hardly looked at Soda, finding the tiles more interesting instead. Soda’s eyebrows knitted together at that. Something was wrong. Why was Ponyboy sad? It couldn’t be because he was the one in the hospital bed, could it? Did he blame himself for what happened? But that wasn’t true! Ponyboy couldn’t have prevented anything from happening.</p><p>Soda reached over and placed a hand on Pony’s shoulder. Luckily, he was close to the bed or he would have fallen off trying. “Hey, what happened to me isn’t your fault, okay?”</p><p>“Yes, it is. If I had taken more precaution, I wouldn’t have been jumped and you wouldn’t have been stabbed.”</p><p>“Ponyboy, me being stabbed wasn’t anyone’s fault. Things happen out of our control sometimes.”</p><p>“I mean, you could have been more careful—” Darry started but was elbowed by Dally.</p><p>“Stop beating yourself up over this, you dig?” Dally said. “It wasn’t your fault. Get that in your head, man. Stop holding onto the blame. It’ll only hurt you.”</p><p>“Focus on Soda and you recovering instead,” Two-Bit added.</p><p>“But—” Ponyboy began.</p><p>“Ponyboy, I’m going to be alright,” Soda reassured, smiling gently at his brother. “Healing sure won’t be pleasant but at least there is a low chance of being stabbed twice in my life. It probably won’t happen again.”</p><p>Soda laughed but only ended up wincing and rubbing his stomach.</p><p>“You better hope it doesn’t happen again,” Darry tutted. Everyone nodded in agreement.</p><p>“How about this, if you still feel guilty, make it up to me,” Soda said. “You can make it up to me by making sure that you heal nicely and that I get better as well, savvy?”</p><p>Ponyboy let a small smile form on his lips. He still blamed himself, but he knew that it would pass with time. Soda was alive in front of him and that was all that mattered. He was going to be alright and Ponyboy made sure that it was going to stay that way in the future as well. He took one of Soda’s hands and nodded, “Savvy.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>